PTAC Preventive Maintenance Guides

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Regular PTAC maintenance can maximize energy savings and extend the life of your HVAC equipment.

To avoid the risk of property damage, electrical shock, or personal injury, turn off and unplug the PTAC unit before conducting any routine maintenance or services.

Three Monthly PTAC Cleaning Tasks:

Air Filter

Remove the PTAC air filter slowly to prevent dirt from falling back into the unit. For some units, the front grille must be removed to access the filter.
Clean the filter with a vacuum or running water.
Replace any damaged filters.

Vent Screen

If the PTAC unit is operated with the vent door closed, the vent screen does not need to be cleaned.

Remove the front grille.
Remove the screws securing the chassis to the wall sleeve and slide the chassis out far enough so the vent screen is accessible.
Clean or replace the vent screen, slide the chassis back into the wall sleeve, secure it in place, and reinstall the front cabinet.

Front Grille

Remove the front grille and clean it with a dampened cloth.
Reinstall the front grille.
Inspect the control panel door and plug. Replace both if needed.

Seasonal PTAC Maintenance Tasks:

Wall Sleeve

Check the caulking around the PTAC wall sleeve to make sure all air and water openings are properly sealed.
Check the wall sleeve's level. It should be tilted to the outside (as close to 1/4 bubble tilt as possible); however, do not over- or undertilt. If the unit has an internal drain system, the sleeve should be leveled (left to right and front to back) so that condensate water drains into the connected drain line/kit location. Water should not overflow the sleeve to the room side or outside and should drain into the internal drain hole. (To test, pour a cup of water into the wall sleeve.)

Base Pan and Condenser Coil

Spray and rinse the condenser coil and base pan with Hydro-Balance Enviro-Coil cleaner.
Place a drain pan cleaner tablet or a Hydro-Balance drain strip in the base pan to inhibit bacteria growth.
Reinstall the unit back into the wall sleeve.
Allow unit to dry for 24 hours before reapplying power. When power is reapplied, test the unit for proper operation.

Clearance Check

Check clearance around the PTAC unit to ensure that the intake air and discharge air paths are not blocked or restricted. Leave a minimum of eight inches between the intake vent and furniture, beds, or other objects for proper operation. Make sure no objects (curtains, furniture, etc.) block the discharge vent.